


Muscle Memory

by rozyroe



Series: Shinaya Week 2020 [4]
Category: Kagerou Project, Mekakucity Actors
Genre: Gen, ShinayaWeek2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:28:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26889637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rozyroe/pseuds/rozyroe
Summary: Ayano has a stoke of bad luck as usual and finds a folded paper hidden in a book on Shintaro's NightstandFor Shinaya Week 2020!Day 4: Toumei Answer & Summer Time Record
Relationships: Kisaragi Shintaro/Tateyama Ayano
Series: Shinaya Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1957276
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	Muscle Memory

**Author's Note:**

> I might revamp this one in the future but I'm happy with it for now! Got a little emotional with this one ngl.
> 
> No warnings this time and reminder that i was no beta reader so all mistakes are my own.
> 
> Other than that, Enjoy! and Don't forget to Comment!

Now that Shintaro thinks about it, he doesn’t remember if there was ever a time Ayano was actually over his house.

They mostly hung out at school, walking home with each other but always splitting off at the same slightly tilted lamppost to their own houses. The closest she had ever been was the one time she followed him to his house to meet Tono and they spent some time on his front lawn as the bunny hopped around and fell asleep on the girl’s lap.

(Momo made a joke that the rabbit was a good judge of character and Shintaro can agree to that now.)

Knowing she would be coming over soon for an afternoon of hanging out made him do one last check of his bedroom. Contrary to what the others thought, he wasn’t against keeping his room clean even if his own laziness stopped him at times. Tono was sleeping in his cage in the corner and he triple checked that Takane wasn’t around to eavesdrop.

His phone buzzed and a knock sounded, letting him know that Ayano was here. He rushed out of his room to the door to let her inside. She was casual today, in light blue flowy pants and a tucked-in white t-shirt. He was happy to have dressed appropriately in his own jeans and black shirt. “You’re here earlier then I thought you would be.”

“Oh Sorry!” Ayano fussed about “Is this okay?”

“Huh? oh yeah it’s fine. Mom and Momo won’t be back until later so we have the house to ourselves for now.”

“Ooooo” Ayano hummed, distracted by taking in the walls around her. His house seemed typical when it came to decoration. Unchanged since momo was born really besides some new photos hanging on the walls and smaller figurines on end tables. Ayano gasped and slapped his shoulder as they walked down the hall to his room pulling them to a stop.

“Oh my gosh! Is that you? You’re sooo cute!” She gushed pointing at a photo on the wall. It was of himself and his father probably when he was about 4 years old. It was a little funny to look at, his father grinning clashing with his own chubby-cheeked pout. It makes his heart twist just a little, as the photo always did. Despite his disgruntled look he was happy in that photo, his father’s laugh at his own childish faces amusing. It was something he always missed.

Ayano seemed to notice his slight dip in mood and tucked at his hand again. “C’mon I wanna see your room! I bet you have a bunch of silly posters or something.”

“I do not!” He snapped back, leading her down to prove her wrong. His room wasn’t anything special, with no posters on the wall and mainly covered in blacks and greys. It was nice enough he guessed, His computer being his most expensive piece in the room. His staple red jacket being the brightness thing in the room beside his white rabbit, who perked up upon seeing there was a visitor.

“Tono!” Ayano yelled, walking quickly over to the cage and greeting the bunny. Shintaro shook his head and walked over to the cage to open it and placed the bunny on his bed. Tono was getting a little older but still friendly and active, hopping around his bed and content to stuff her face into Ayano’s palm. They were content like that for a little while, exchanging basic conversation about how everyone was doing and letting the bunny do as she pleased.

There was a close call where Tono almost fell off the bed, Shintaro scooping her up just in time and holding her close to himself as his heart calmed down from the scare. Tono seemed just fine being held, Shintaro prided himself on still being her favorite after all this time. 

“She really loves you huh? What a happy bunny.” Ayano cooed, scratching lightly between the rabbit’s ears.

Shintaro smiled softly, setting Tono down again when she got a little fussy in his arms “Well...we’ve been through some tough times together, She definitely saved me a couple of times that’s for sure.”

Ayano paused at his remark, her eyes clouded by the past as she moved her gaze to the floor. Her fingers picked at his comforter in a nervous tick.

It was his turn to brighten the mood or change the subject then.

“How about this! We have some raspberries in the fridge if you want to feed her some.”

Ayano’s head shot up and she nodded quickly, too excited about the prospect to think about anything else. Mission success then.

“Alright, just keep an eye on her and I’ll be right back.”

* * *

Ayano was a little nervous to be left alone with Shintaro’s precious pet. Luckily enough it seemed Tono was content to lay down near her crossed legs for now. 

Ayano forgot that her good luck never seems to last long.

Her phone went off and spooked Tono who jumped up and almost made a run for it off the bet, Ayano letting out a yelp and throwing her arm out to stop the bunny. She fell on her side and bumped her head on Shintaro’s nightstand which wasn’t fun that's for sure. She sighed in relief however when Tono seemed fine and back to sniffing at the blankets and just shuffling around.

Another thump caught Ayano’s attention and a brown worn journal fell to the floor. It must be from Shintaro’s nightstand, something she didn’t really notice before. She picked up the book to put it back when a folded piece of paper fell out of the front cover of the book. She set it on the nightstand and picked up the paper next.

She knew it was wrong but her own curiosity got the best of her and she looked at the paper.

Written across the top in red ink was a title ‘ _ Toumei Answer _ ’

The words under the title looked like a poem. Flowing like a song.

  
  


* * *

Shintaro heard a bang from his room and walked a little faster to his room. Raspberries twirling around in the small bowl he held.

“Ayano!?” He called in worry as he walked into his room.

Nothing seemed immediately wrong. Tono was happily sitting on his bed nibbling at his blanket even though she knew not too and Ayano was reading a piece of paper her eyes engrossed in the words on the page.

Wait. what?

She looked up at the sound of her name, her eyes a little misty. 

He moved to sit next to her, unsure how to ask what’s wrong. Tono nudged at his elbow, smelling the sweet treat in his hand. He handed the bunny one to chew on as he looked at what she was reading. His face flushed in embarrassment.

“Oh...sorry. You weren’t supposed to read that.”

Ayano still held the paper in hand, his lips pursed in thought.

A moment past.

“This is...when did you write this?”

“Honestly?” He mused “During those two years I stayed in my room, those months seemed all blurred together so I can’t give you an exact time but..”

She sighed and took a raspberry, feeding it to a very insistent rabbit shuffling between them. “What is it? A Poem?”

He shrugged “I’m not sure. A song maybe? I dabbled a little bit in song production as a way to pass the time. Guess this one was just more real than my other attempts.”

“I know you said you hated hearing it but...i truly am sorry. For not talking to you. Before.” She said quietly, her hands smooth over the paper to give them something to do.

Shintaro placed a hand over hers “I’m not going to get mad at you for saying it. I just don’t think it is necessary. I still wish I could have done more for you then and I always will. Can’t do much about the past. When I wrote the song I was working out my own feelings I guess, and wanted something more concrete to remember you by. It was not a guilt trip that’s for sure.” he explained.”

Ayano let out an affirming sound before making decisions and grabbing the journal that dropped beforehand, She set the paper flat on the book.

Shintaro had seen Ayano do the same folds over and over again during their school days and even more so during his own dreams, he knew the steps to a paper crane better than anyone. It's how he understands quickly what she is doing to the paper before she is even halfway through folding. She does it like she never stopped, folds perfect and quick.

(She dreamed too, In the Haze. She dreamed of folding paper cranes and fruitless red 100%’s)

Soon he is being handed a perfect paper crane, the red 100 replaced with the title of his most sincere work of art.

“You wrote the song to remember me. I folded paper cranes to remember you. I think now we can have a bit of both. Not that we need just memories anymore.”

He takes the crane in hand and his smile turns into a wide happy grin.

“The first of many I hope.”

“First of many what?” Shintaro thinks Ayano looks cute when she tilts her head in confusion like that.

“Cranes? Memories? I think we have time to figure it out.”

Ayano laughs at his cheesy statement. The moment goes quiet at the two look at each other. Shintaro slips his hand back to hers, there fingers crossing-

“Tono!” Shintaro screeches as the rabbit takes a small nip at his wrist, no longer content to watch the moment and demanding more fruit.

“I think Tono agrees, No more lurking in the past for now.”

“No, I think she is just sick of me. Damn Rabbit”

“Aww Tono, Shintaro doesn’t mean that! Now, who wants more berries! You do!”

Sometimes a fresh start is messy. Other times its two people teasing either other over berries and rabbits, content to find their own answers at their own pace.


End file.
